The 61-year-old health care advocate and attorney, who was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004, was admitted to a hospital over Thanksgiving after feeling ill. It was at that time that doctors discovered that her cancer has metastasized.

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"Elizabeth has been advised by her doctors that further treatment of her cancer would be unproductive. She is resting at home with family and friends," read a statement released to the magazine by the Edwards family.

She posted a message to her Facebook account on December 6 about her condition.

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"I have been sustained throughout my life by three saving graces - my family, my friends, and a faith in the power of resilience and hope," she wrote. "These graces have carried me through difficult times and they have brought more joy to the good times than I ever could have imagines. The days of our lives, for all of us, are numbered. We know that."

Edwards appeared to be in remission for several years, but her cancer resurfaced in 2007 and started to spread.

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At that time, John was in the middle of his presidential campaign, but that was cut short in February 2008 after Rielle Hunter, a campaign aide, admitted to an affair with the candidate and revealed that they had a child together.